• Journal of Korean Medical Ki-Gong Academy
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.25-42
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• 2019

Objective : This study is a report on treatment effect of Korean medical treatment to ALS(Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis) patient. The purpose of this case study is to improvement of Korean medical treatment and evaluate prognosis and clinical course of ALS patients. Methods : The patient was treated by acupuncture, Su-Gi therapy, herbal medication, physical treatment. To determine the effects of Korean medical treatment, we evaluated every four days used by Korean version of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Functional Rating Scale-Revised (KALSFRS-R), Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Severity Scale(ALSSS). Results : Before mental contraction caused by everyday life nursing management, symptoms such as lumbar pain, getting hoarse, lower limb powerless & spasticity, upper limbs powerless, neckache, tongue-tied etc. were improved after above treatment. K-ALSFRS-R and ALSSS scores were also increased till patient's mental contraction Conclusions : The Korean medical treatment is effective on local symptoms of ALS, and there is also functional improvement of ALS diagnosed by external examination. It is necessary to have more examination about ALS.

• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.398-405
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• 2021

Objective: The interest of clinicians is increasing due to the newly established medical insurance for pulmonary rehabilitation. Improvement of respiratory muscle strength and pulmonary function is an important factor in pulmonary rehabilitation, and this study aims to investigate the correlation between changes in respiratory muscle contraction thickness that can affect respiratory muscle strength and pulmonary function. Design: Cross-sectional observational study. Methods: Thirty-one subjects (male=13, female=18) participated in this study. The respiratory muscle strength was measured by dividing it into inspiratory/forced expiratory muscles, and the pulmonary function was measured by forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1), and FEV1/FVC. To evaluate the respiratory muscle length increase, in resting and concentric contraction thickness of diaphragm, external/internal oblique, transverse abdominis, and rectus abdominis were measured by using ultrasonography. Results: Inspiratory muscle strength showed a significant correlation with the length increase of the inspiratory muscle (r=0.368~0.521, p<0.05), and forced expiratory muscle strength showed a significant correlation with length increase of forced expiratory muscle (r=0.356~0.455, p<0.05). However, pulmonary function was not correlated with the length increase of the respiratory muscle. Conclusions: In this study, a correlation between respiratory muscle strength and respiratory muscle length increase was confirmed, but no correlation with the pulmonary function was found. It is considered that the respiratory muscle strength can be improved by increasing the respiratory muscle thickness through appropriate respiratory muscle training.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Propulsion Engineers
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.44-50
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• 2017

Vehicle Holding Device(VHD) has a role that holding the launch vehicle on its launch pad until the engine therust reaches a steady condition. The analytical study of shape parameters and dynamic characteristics of hydraulic cylinders is carried out. The contraction of cylinder is considered as the major factor of releasing mechanism. Through the analysis, the decreasing of cylinder slit size and increasing initial charging pressure increase the contraction force. Through the transient analysis, cylinder load, displacement and inner pressure distribution are confirmed. The cylinder contraction force is converged to the cylinder external force when the cylinder starts to move. Also, the pressure distribution in the hydraulic cylinder is constant.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.53-63
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• 2022

PURPOSE: This study examined the changes in the thickness of the abdominal muscles, including the transversus abdominis, according to the set pressure applied by a pressure biofeedback unit during contractions of the hip adductor muscles. METHODS: After randomizing 40 healthy adult males in their 20 s and 30 s, the participants were instructed to match the pressure gauge indication of the pressure biofeedback device to continue contracting the hip adductor while maintaining it at 10 mmHg (low), 40 mmHg (medium), or 70 mmHg (high). The measurement was taken over five seconds using an ultrasound device. RESULTS: According to the contractile pressure applied to the hip adductor muscle, there was a significant difference in the muscle thickness change of the transverse abdominis muscle between 10 mmHg and 70 mmHg and between 40 mmHg and 70 mmHg. The muscle thickness ratio of the external oblique/abdominal muscle was significantly different between 10 mmHg and 70 mmHg and between 40 mmHg and 70 mmHg. CONCLUSION: Increased contraction pressure on the hip adductor muscle increases the muscle thickness of the abdominal transverse muscle. Interbody stability exercise with contractions of the hip adductor muscle is expected to help increase in the muscle thickness of the hip adductor muscle.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.15-25
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• 2022

PURPOSE: This study examined the effect of bridge exercise-abdominal draw-in maneuver (ADIM) with hip adductor co-contraction on the TrA thickness and whether it is effective as a core stability exercise. METHODS: The subjects of this study, 33 men with no history in the past and who provided prior consent, were selected through interviews with male students of S University. The subjects performed five movements, including bridge exercise and ADIM, and performed two demonstrations and two exercises in advance. The abdominal muscles were measured using ultrasonography once in each movement, and the abdominal muscle tone was measured using a soft tissue tone measurement. RESULTS: There was a significant difference in the thickness between the TrA and Internal Oblique Muscles at various bridge positions (p < .05), and no significant difference with the External Oblique Muscle (p < .05). There was no significant difference in muscle tone in the Rectus abdominis part (p > .05), but a significant difference in the Oblique Muscle part (p < .05). The muscle tone of the Oblique Muscles by position showed a significant difference in Bridge, BHa, and BA compared to the rest position (p < .05), but no significant difference with BHaA (p > .05). CONCLUSION: The thickness of TrA could be increased through bridge exercise, and TrA could be activated properly using ADIM and may be an effective exercise for core stabilization.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.79-86
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• 2022

Background: Bird dog exercise (BDE) is one of the lumbar stabilization exercises that rehabilitate low back pain by co-contraction of the local and global muscles. Previous studies have reported the effect of various type of BDEs (for example, practicing the exercises on various surfaces and changing the limb movement) for muscle co-contraction. Objects: This study aimed to investigate the effect of knee joint flexion position of the raised lower limb on abdominal and back muscle activity during BDE in patients with chronic low back pain (CLBP). Methods: Thirteen males participated in this study (age: 32.54 ± 4.48 years, height: 177.38 ± 7.17 cm). Surface electromyographic (SEMG) data of the internal abdominal oblique (IO), external abdominal oblique (EO), lumbar multifidus (MF), and thoracic part of the iliocostalis lumborum (ICLT) were collected in two knee joint flexion positions (90° flexion versus 0° flexion) during BDE. The SEMG data were expressed as a percentage of root mean square mean values obtained in the maximal voluntary isometric contraction. Results: Greater muscle activity of the IO (p = 0.001), MF (p = 0.009), and ICLT (p = 0.021) of the raised lower limb side and the EO (p = 0.001) and MF (p = 0.009) of the contralateral side were demonstrated in the knee joint flexion position compared to the knee joint extension position. Greater local/global activity ratios of the abdominal muscle (i.e., IO and EO) of the raised lower limb (p = 0.002) and the back muscle (i.e., MF and ICLT) of the contralateral side (p = 0.028) were also noted in the knee joint flexion position. Conclusion: BDE with a knee joint flexion position might be recommended as an alternative lumbar stabilization exercise to enhance muscle activity in both the raised lower limb and the contralateral sides of the trunk for individuals with CLBP.

• PNF and Movement
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.243-253
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• 2023

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the effects of an abdominal drawing-in maneuver (ADIM) with a light load while sitting on transverse abdominis contraction in subjects with and without low back pain. Methods: In this study, 20 participants with chronic low back pain and 20 controls participated. Ultrasonography was used to assess the thickness of the external oblique (EO), internal oblique (IO), and transversus abdominis (TrA) muscles. Muscle thickness was measured at rest and during ADIM in three different sitting postures: (1) just sitting, (2) sitting loaded position (holding a 1 or 2 kg dumbbell in each hand), and (3) sitting loaded shoulder flexion position (holding a 1 or 2 kg dumbbell in each hand). Results: The contraction ratio (CR) and preferential activation ratio (PAR) of the TrA during ADIM had no significant interactional effect between the group and the sitting postures. However, the CR and PRA of the TrA during the ADIM showed significant differences among the three different sitting postures. The CR of the TrA during the ADIM in the sitting loaded shoulder flexion position was significantly increased compared to that in the sitting position (p<0.05). Moreover, the PRA of the TrA muscle during ADIM in sitting loaded and sitting loaded shoulder flexion positions was significantly higher than that in the sitting position (p<0.05). Conclusion: The findings suggest that ADIM in the sitting-loaded shoulder flexion position should be implemented to facilitate TrA activity.

• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.214-221
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• 2023

Objective: This study aimed to assess the impact of using the LED light electromyographyfeedback system (EMG-light) during Pilates exercises in women to maintain consistent muscle contraction in the abdominal external oblique muscles and reduce muscle contraction in the upper trapezius muscles. This study compared Pilates training using the EMG-light with Pilates training only in healthy women for 4 weeks. Design: This study was conducted as a cross-sectional study. Methods: A total of 17 healthy women were divided into an experimental group (n=9) and a control group (n=8). Both groups performed Pilates exercises as assigned, twice per week for four weeks, with each session lasting fifty minutes. The experimental group were used the EMG-light feedback system during pilates exercise while the control group did not use EMG-light. We used cervical vertebral angle (CVA), shoulder tilt angle to evaluate neck posture and standing balance with closed eye for 30s before and after exercise. Results: The control group exhibited a significant change in CVA (p<0.05). Both groups showed significant changes in shoulder tilt, center of pressure (COP) path-length, and COP velocity during eyes-closed conditions (p<0.05). However, there were significant differences between the experimental and control groups in terms of CVA, shoulder tilt, COP path-length, and COP velocity. Conclusions: This study demonstrated that Pilates exercises had positive effects on shoulder posture and balance. The use of EMG-light provided real-time visual feedback on muscle contraction during Pilates exercise. However, the experimental group did not show significant improvements compared to the control group, which performed Pilates exercises without feedback.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.235-243
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• 2011

The purpose of the study was to examine the thickness of the trunk muscles ie. external obliques (EO), transversus abdominis (TrA), and multifidus and the trunk endurance strength in order to determine any relationship between the presence or absence of low back pain (LBP) and the size of trunk muscles. Data were obtained from 50 subjects, aged between 19-29 years. Participants had no experience of spinal problems that had resulted in a restriction of normal activity or time-off work and no current spinal symptoms. Measurements of muscle thickness of the trunk muscles were collected at rest, contraction and 15 seconds of post contraction during endurance strength tests. Background information was obtained followed all physical measures. Subjects were divided into two groups based on their experience of LBP. In draw-in maneuver, increasing the thickness of TrA was observed in all participants while EO was decreased at contraction in group 1 and increase in group 2. Only subjects in the group 2 had TrA increased during the flexion endurance test. In the side-bridge endurance test, the thickness of the right TrA was also observed differently between groups. Therefore, the results of the study may suggest that a function of specific muscle should be addressed for training persons with LBP.

• Journal of the Korea Concrete Institute
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.483-490
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• 2007

Traditional external post-tensioning method using either steel bars or tendons is commonly used as a retrofitting method for concrete bridges. However, the external post-tensioning method has some disadvantages such as stress concentration at anchorages and inefficient load carrying capability regarding live loads. Thermal prestressing method is a newly proposed method for strengthening and rehabilitation of concrete girder bridges. Founded on a simple concept of thermal expansion and contraction of steel, the method is a hybrid method of external post-tensioning and steel plate bonding, combining the merits of two methods. In this paper, basic concepts of the method are presented and an illustrative experiment is introduced. From actual experimental data, the thermal prestressing effect is substantiated and the FEM approach for its analysis is verified.